Wings and the like



J. W. RAPP AND J- VANORIQ. xmocxoow'w cowsmucnow F0R.AIRPLANE wmes AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED 1AN.I9. I918.

Patented Dec. 16,1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

J W. RAPP AND J. VANOR|0.- KNOCKDOWN CONSTRUCTION FOR AIRPLANE WINGS AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 19. 1918. 1,325,499.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2- 001: o a a e c u 0 Patented Dec. 16, 1919.

J W. RAPP AND 1-. VANORIO. KNOCKDOWN CONSTRUCTION FOR AIRPLANE wmes AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 19. 1918.

' Patented D60. 16,1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- j rm I UNITED s'rA'r s rn' rizrrrv OFFICE.

JOHN w. RAPP, or rLusHING, AND JOSEPH VANORIO, or BROOKLYN, NEW YORK; SAID VANORIO ASSIGNOR 'ro sen) RAPP.

K NOCKIJOWN CONSTRUCTION FOR AIRPLANE WINGS AND THE LIKE.

' specification of Letters Patent. P t t d 1 1 9 Application filed January 19, 1918. Seria1 l*Io,.2 12,784z v To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN W. RAPP and JOSEPH VANoRIo, citizens of the United States, and residents, respectively, of Flushing, Queens county, New York, and Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Knockdown Constructions for Air-. plane-VVings and the like, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates adapted to slide over or on said frame or cross members, means for spacing such units from each otherand means for firmly fastening such units and frame members together.

In a more intense aspect, our invention comprises the provision in a wing frame 0 parallel marginal frame members and intermediate spars, rib units having ferrules at opposite ends adapted to slidingly fit over said marginal frame members, spacing pieces at the front and rear also adapted to slide over each of said marginal frame members and to abut against adjacent ribferrules said spacing pieces at the front preferably carrying filler strips adapted to extend inwardly and to be connected with a spar extending through said rib units.

In the accompanying drawings, in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a plan view of an airplane wing embodying our invention;

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the parallel cross members'connected to a curved end piece with two rib units and spacing pieces slid over the marginal parallel frame members and the spars;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a rib unit of relatively heavy construction and preferably 7 to improvements in knock-down constructions for a rplane fsuitable detachable means,

ginal frame members 2 and. 3 respectively end piece or employed in combination with thespars to -rule employed by me which carriesthe filler strips adapted .to bridge the 'space between the marginal frame member and the spar at the front of the wing;

Fig. 8 is a side 'e evation of the ferrule and ller strips shown in Fig. 7

Fig. 9 is a plan view showin the strut block and the connecting-strapsv or the tension wires;

Fig. 10 is a side elevation of the block shown in Fig. 9; showing the spar in 'sec- Fig. ll'is a plan view of a corner showing the connection betweenthe front spar and a heavy rib unit; and

Fig. 12 is a side view of the rib unit, showing the spar in sectiom Referring now to these drawings, 1 indicates an end piece of a. wing'towhich is se' curely fastened by screw-threads or other two parallel marwhich as shown are in the form of round I pipes of less circumference than the pipe-of which the marginal portions ofthe end member is formed, and 5 and 6 are respectively front and rear spars which are likewise suitably fastened in a detachable manner to the end piece or rib 1. In accordance with-this invention, each of the rib units except the rib is provided with ferrules 7 7 or the like at opposite ends which are adapted to be slid over the round pipe sec-.-

tions of the marginal frame. Certain of so a said units also have intermediate the ends thereof strut blocks or other fastening means in accordancewith the position to be occupied by the particular rib in the wing 0011', struction. As illustrated, each rib carries perforated lugs-8, 8 and 9, 9 for 'connection to the respective spars, and these perforated lugs register with apertures in the spars to permit the passage through the spar apertures and such lugs of a bolt. rivet or the like when the wing construction is set up permanently. indicates rear spacing ferrules adapted to slide over the rear marginal frame member and to separate or space the individual ribs from each other at the rear and 10 indicates front s acing ferrules of similar length to the ferrules 10 which are slid over the front marginal frame member and separate the adjacent ferrules of the rib units from each other at this end.- This ferrule 1O preferably carries filler strips 11 which span the distance between the front marginal member and the first spar:

In Figs. 9 and 10, I have shown a strut block 15 comprising top and bottom plates 16 and 17 connected by posts 18 which, as

' shown, are suitably connected as by welding to the rib portions on opposite sides thereof and has an opening to permit the spar beam 6 to extend therethrough between its posts.

It will be obvious that when it is desired to erect a wing of our construction, it will only be necessary, after connecting the marginal frame members and the spars to the end piece or rib as above described to slide on a spacing ferrule at the rear and another at the front, then slide on a rib unit in accordance with its proper position in the completed wing, and then to slide over the said frame members additional spacing pieces and rib units, after which a suitable rib unit 12 which preferably carries integral pivot-knuckles 13 for connection to the fuselage of the machine at the opposite end is put into place. The various ribs and ferrules may then be tightened up by nuts 14 and may be connected to the spars in any suitable well-known manner. After a wing is so assembled, or during the process of assembly the tension wires may of course be connected up and suitably tensioned.

" A win all the rigidity and strength and will be in all respects equal to a wing which is permanently put together in the first instance.

assembled in this way will have memes Having described our invention, we claim:

1. A knock-down wing construction for airplanes embodying parallel marginal frame members, rib units having ferrules at opposite ends of the same conformation as said frame members and adapted to slidingly fit over said frame members, means for spacing said rib ferrules and means for securing the ribs, spacing means and framemembers together. g

2. A' knock-down wing construction for airplanes embodying parallel frame members at opposite ends of the wing, rib units having ferrules at opposite ends of the same conformation as said frame members and adapted to slidingly fit over said frame members and spacing ferrules at the opposite ends also adapted to slidingly fit over said frame members and to abut between adjacent rib ferrules, and means for securing the ribs,

spacing ferrules and frame-members to-- gether.

' gether.

Signed at College Point, in the county of Queens and State of New'York this 8th day of January A. D. 1918.

JOHN W. RAPP. JOSEPH VANORIO.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM C. LANGE, JOSEPH F. OB IEN. 

